Snap-on bail ear or attachment



Jan. 8, 1957 A. E. OGREN SNAP-ON BAIL EAR OR ATTACHMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2'7, 1952 .m T m 2 w A Jan. 8, 1957 A. E. OGREN 2,776,780

SNAP-ON BAIL EAR OR ATTACHMENT Filed March 27, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 10 Ill 1' w 11 mm 16 W 7 FIG. 7 FIG; 6 FIG. 10

INIVENTOR. AX'EL E. OER-EN A TQRNE) Jan. 8, 1957 A. E. OGREN 2,776,780

SNAP-ON BAIL. EAR OR ATTACHMENT Filed March 27, 1952 s Sheets$heet 5 FIG. 11 FIG. 12 FIG.15

United StatesPatent U SNAP-N BAIL EAR oR ATTACHMENT Axel E. Ogren, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Sherwin- Williams Compauy, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio I Application March 27, 1952, Serial No. 278,851

' 3 Claims. (Cl. 2z0-91 This invention relates to a means for afiixment of ancillary fittings to cylindrical containers characterized by circumferential top and bottom scams or flanges.

More particularly, this invention relates to a novel attachment means for ancillary fittings, e. g., bail receiving members, by providing a snap-on clamp adapted to hook over either the top or bottom circumferential double seam, flange or rim of a container to provide pressure distribution at at least three separate areas along the arc of said rim and to be brought into substantial contact with the contour of the container body.

One object of this invention is to provide a means for attachment of bail receiving ears to containers made of such materials that. the usual soldering techniques for the attachment of ancillary fittings are not altogether practicable.

Another object is to provide for attachment of novel identification means to essentially cylindrical containers.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings which disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention as well as additional useful modifications thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the snap-011 clamp, the body of which is utilized as a bail receiving member, showing the device in attached position to a section of a container with a bail member in position.

Figure 2 is a front view of the clamp when utilized in its preferred embodiment as a bail receiving ear.

Figure 3 is a side view of the same.

Figure 4 is a top view of the clamp as it would appear from above Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along a plane indicated by the broken line 1-1 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the modified form of the clamp as it would appear in attachment to the base of a container as a color identification means.

Figure 7 is a front view of a modified form of the clamp as used for identification means.

Figure 8 is a side view of this modification.

Figure 9 is a top view of the clamp in position for at tachment to a container base.

Figure 10 is a sectional view of a modification taken along the plane indicated by the broken line 2-2 of Figure 6 with parts of the container broken away to show certain detail of the clamp in assembly on a container base.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a wire modification of the snap-on clamp.

Figure 12 is a front view of the wire modification snapped into position over the chime or bead of a container.

Figure 13 is a sectional view through 3-3 of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a front view of an identification plate modification of larger size developed by condensing together two snap-on clamp units.

Figure 15 is a still further modification of the invention 2,7 7 6,780 Patented Jan. 8, 1957 extending the snap-on clamp more than half around the circumference of a container condensing the bail receiving units with an identification plate.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive. Figures 6 to 10 illustrate a modified form of the invention. It will be observed, however, that the essential elements of the invention are common to both modifications. Referring initially to Figures lto 5, supporting sheet body member 1, into which a bail receiving ear element 2 is drawn, extends into bifurcated stub elements 3-3, the ends of which are folded over rearwardly and downwardly to form a pair of hooked dogs 44 adapted to overlie and grip the upper double seam bead, rim or flange 5 of the container 6. lnterrnediately between bifurcated stub elements 3--3', inclined rearwardly from the body member 1 is a shorter stub or jaw 7 jutting in the same direction as stub element 3-3' but terminating in a sharpedge 8 to provide spring tension against the inwardly disposed edge of the upper double seam bead when the snap-on clamp is forced into position on a container by engaging the dogs 44' over the outwardly disposed edge of the double seam bead and bringing the body 1 home into-more or less fitted contact with the arcuate container body 6.

Upon and after attachment of bail element 9 into a pair of oppositely disposed snap-on ears as shown in Figure 1, deformation of the dogs 4 4 or of the jaw 7 to distort the edge 8 of the jaw 7 has been found essential to cause failure of the clamp. The three pressure areas distributed over the arc of the container rim and the conformation of the body member to the contour of the container give rise to great strength in the attachment.

Referring to the identification plate form of ancillary can body fitting illustrated in Figures 6 through 10, the similarity of essential features becomes obvious. A substantially flat plate member 1%) is the situs of origin of bifurcated stubs 1111' each of which terminate in inverted U-shaped hooks 1212' adapted to overlie and grip the circumferential lower seam 13 formed in assembly of the can bottom 14 with the body during manufacture of container 15. Intermediately between stubs 11-11 is a square cut jaw element 16 adapted to bite into the inwardly disposed edge of seam 13 in a springlike action along the relatively sharp edge 17 of jaw 16. Stresses through the oppositely disposed forces developed between hooks 1212' acting on the outwardly disposed area of the seam 13, and the action of the jaw 16 pressing against the inward side of the seam, coupled with the curvature of the clamp, induced in part through contact with arcuate shape of the container on the clampprovides attachment.

Referring to Figures 11 through 13 specifically, a wire loop 18 provides means for attachment of a bail 19. The free ends of the wire are bent together and inward as at 20 and then horizontally in opposite direction from one another to form the jaw element 21 which is preferably, although not essentially, flattened along the top side of the jaw. Each of the free ends are bent to form a distorted S hook or dog 22 adapted to overlie and grip the chime or circumferential seam or head of the container 23.

Figures 14 and 15 are illustrative of condensed modifications of the clamp for specific commercial purposes. Figure 14 illustrates an identification plate 24 of sufficient size to bear an extensive legend having three dog elements 25, 26 and 27 and two jaw elements 28 and 29 and is in principle two clamps of Figure 6 condensed along one edge. Figure 15 combines the display area 30 of the modification of Figure 14 with oppositely disposed snapon bail receiving ears 21 and 32 similar to that illustrated in Figure 1. In this instance, a jaw element may be interposed between the interior dogs 33 and 34 to provide additional strength, but is omitted here because not essential.

From the above extensive, though not exhaustive, illustration of theprinciples involved, it can be seen that attachment is quick and simple. Paint containers, in particular, maybe identified and fitted with bail receiving members in one operation, if desired.

In conventional afiixment of ancillary fittings to container bodies, containers of tin plate are essential to present production where solder and soldering techniques are employed. The fastenings r clamps here disclosed make possible attachments independent of the nature of the can body employed. The many attendant advantages of the invention, it is believed, will be clear from the foregoing description. It will be apparent that other practical applications may be made by changes in superficial parts of my clamp without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and the essential combination of elements as hereinbefore described and illustrated.

What I claim is:

1. A device for solderless attachment of ancillary fittings to cylindrical containers by clamping about the chime thereof which comprises an elongated sheet body member curved to conform with the body of said container, oppositely disposed winged free ends originating in and upwardly extending from opposite ends of the top edge of said body member, said free ends rolled over to form downwardly opening channels adapted to grasp exteriorly about at least the outermost edge of said chime and intermediate said free ends an inwardly disposed yieldable tab originating in and extending upwardly from said body terminating in a shoulder adapted to snap into abutment along the inner edge of said chime to engage a segment of arc of said chime.

2. A device for solderless attachment of ancillary fittings to cylindrical containers having top and bottom circumferential chimes which comprises an elongated sheet body member curved to conform with the body of said container, oppositely disposed stub-winged free ends originating in and upwardly extending from opposite ends of the top edge of said body member to form hangers of generally question-mark shaped section having downwardly opening channels in the free ends thereof, and intermediate said stubends an inwardly disposed yieldable tab originating in and extending upwardly from said body terminating in a squared top edge short of said free end channels in height, said tab adapted to snap into abutting engagement along the inner edge of one of said container chimes after positioning the downwardly opening channels of said hangers to grasp exteriorly about the outermost. edge of said chime and forcing said squared top edge of said tab into contact with an interior segment of are of said: chime.

3. A bail receiving ear for solderless attachment to cylindrical containers having a top circumferential chime which comprises an. elongated sheet metal body member adapted to conform to the curvature of a cylindrical container, centrally thereof a protuberance extending outwardly normal to the plane of said body member adapted to receive a bail end, oppositely disposed stub-winged free ends originating in and upwardly extending from opposite ends of the top edge of said body member, said free ends rolled. over to form downwardly opening channels, intermediate said free ends and above said protuberance an inwardly disposed yieldable tab also originating in and extending upwardly from said body terminating in a squared shoulder short of said channeled ends in height, adapted to snap into abutment along the lower edge of said chime and to engage a segment of arc of said chime when said channels are positioned to grasp exteriorly about the outermost edge of said chime and said body member is brought into essential conformity with the cylindrical wall of said container.

References .Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 239,484 Jeren Mar. 29, 1881 688,365 Thatcher Dec. 10, 1901 896,026 Larkin Aug. 11, 1908 1,917,284 Young July 11, 1933 2,053,855 Walter Sept. 8, 1936 2,362,852 Spaulding Nov. 18, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 224,116 Great Britain Nov. 6, 1924 

